Pneumatic stacker.



J. K. SHARPE, Jn. PNEUMATI STAUKBE.

APPLIOATIOR rILnn un. 13,1905.

902,841 Patennzed Nov. 3, 1908.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. K. SHARPE, Jn. PNBUMATIO STAGKER.

prmouxon num nn.1a,1so.

902,841. Patented Nov. 3, 190s.

l SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. K. SHARPB, JR.

PNBUMATIC STAUKBB..

A.PPL10AT10N FILED APB. 13,1903.

902,841 Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

B SHEETS-SHEET 3,

314mm toz witwassen mwalLUnl// UNITED STAIES IiifiENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH li. ttjxltll, Jlt, Ol IN DiANAPOld, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE INDIANA hlNUiLtlbRING \,`()MPANY, OF INDIJLU iOIiIS, INDIANA, A CORPORATION,

PNEUMATIC STACKER,

Application filed April 13,

' arrangement and location of the fan or fans for withdrawing and discharging material from such machines, a common ty e being what is known as the side fan stac rer, i. e., having its fan arranged vertically at one side of the machine and near the rear end thereof, the straw receiving or ingress opening of the fan communicating with a hopper positioned transversely of the stacker structure into which the material is deposited and then withdrawn therefrom into the fan by the suction air current created by said fan and discharged thereby through the stacker pipe.

In Such an arrangement, as will be readily lunderstood, the tow oi' material falling directly vertically toward and into the hopper must be caused to turn abruptly and take a 'substantially horizontal course in its travel toward and into the fa'n ingress. 'i In order to positively control and direct this flow in the manner described it is necessary and has been the common practice in some ty )es of such staekers to form the straw chamber or hopper sloping from its opposite and rear and iront sides downwardly to the lower portion of the fan eye to insure that material farthest from the fan may by gravity move toward and Within the, influence of the suction air current, which exists only Within a limited area in the hop er immediately adjacent the fan ingress, and) be drawn into said fan.

In other types of side ian stackers a horizontally arran ed chamber or trough is einployed, structure from wall to Wall thereof, the dischar e fan being outside the housing, in whic cases, by reason of the limited suction created in the trough by the fan, material falling beyond the influence of such current will he inertly and not move toward the fan, and, therefore, a mechanical conveyer must be employed to urge or deliver material into the current, in some of which conveyors the fan shaft extends through the chamber and Specification of Letters Patent.

1908. Serial No'. 426,699.

exten( ing transversely across the- Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

is provided with 'lingers or other devices capable of moving material, while in others endless carriers are placed in the bottom 'ol' the chamber, or other propelling devices for the purposc'are provided. it will also-be understood that many types of threshing, shredding and like machines aremanul'actured, each diii'ering in design. and proportions and equipped with distinctive separating mechai'nsms, and each type being made in different sizes, so that the pneumatic stacker, particularly and essentially with re erenee to its hopper or material chamber construction, must be designed especially for each ty e and cach size, and must be constructor to accurately fit and meet all the conditions existing by reason oi height, width and peculiar separating devices employed in the separating'machine, and the size, formation' and power of the discharging fan, necessitating more or less niodiiication in the itch, contour and generall formation .E the, rapper, and in the proportion and 'dimension ot' conveyors, as such varied conditions and the peculiar type of stacker demand.

The object of my inventi n is to simplify and improve the construction of such pneumatic stackers whereby the present necessary specially designedmechanical arrangements and devices for directino. the material in the hopper toward "the inuence of the discharging fan will be dispensed. with, a uniform and more capacious and unobstructed material chamber provided, anda-positive and effective blast draft created;.fthrou0h such chamber insuring that all material daeposited in any art thereof will lbe instantly delivered into tlie discharge fan, all as will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

Inthe accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, Figure 1 is al1 elevation of a pneumatic stacker structure in position to be attached to the rear end of a separatin-g machine, showing the material-receiving chamber and associated parts; Fig. 2 a rear view showing a manner oi' driving 4theblast fanffrom the shaft of the material discharging ian; Fig. 3 an elevation illustrating the action upon the material produced by said blast ian; Fig. 4 a cent'al sectional view as seen when looking .in tl e direction indicated (ated 'by the disc Aof the stacker, which shaft at its protecting guard for the blast fan; Fig. 6 a detail showmg the device em loyed to regulate the air current from sai blast fan; and Fig. 7 a side elevation showing a pneumatic stacker attached to a separating machine and illustrating a manner of driving the blast fan from such machine.

In the drawings, the portions marked 10 yrepresent the housing which constitutes the material-receiving chamber. of a neumatic stacker, in the bottom of which c iamber is formed a substantially horizontally arranged concave (or other appropriately formed) receptacle or trough 11 positioned transversely of the structure and communicating with the fan ingress 12 formed in the'fan casing 13, which casing, in the type of stacker shown,

is formed inside the housing,.and, being con nected'to the material-receiving receptacle or trough 11, forms a substantially integral fan casing and chamber. In the type of stacker thus described it is the practice to employ a gravity hop er inclined in different directions downwardliy to the lower portion of the fan ingress opening, while in types where the fan is located outside the housing a receptacle or trough occu ies all of the space across the width of sai housing, thus providing a maximuintrough space, but in such latter types 'mechanical devices, as heretofore referred to, must be employed to move material from the farthest or dead end of the trou h into the 'air currents cre Ilarge or burden fan 14. In the arrangement which employ, as heretofore indicated, the trough .11 is of a simple substantially concave formation extending horizontally from the fan ingress 12 to the .opposite wall of\the housing in the type illustrated and specifically described, and fromwall to wall in the type referred to, and communicates with said fan ingress as shown, while at its o posite end I provide a blast fan 15, protectedpby a suitable cage or Guard 16, accurately positioned Within a suitable opening inthe Wall of the housing and havin a band 17'surrounding its eriphery, said an being preferably mountedp on a drivin -shaft 18, supported by an ap ropriate brac et, as

19, the outer end of san shaft bearing a pul-' ley 20, Which, by a pulley 21, is belted to a counter-shaft 22 running across the rear end op osite end is provided with a pulley 23, beltedj to a pulleyl 24 on the discharge-fan shaft 25, and w ch latter shaft is driven from the cylinder or other appropriate driving means associated With the se arating machine. By this arrangement I olgtain a very simple and eiiicient means for driving the fan 15 from the same source which drives the discharge fan, which fan 15 is mounted and designed to run very lightly, its only office beine to propel a blast across vthe material chaniber into the opposite v.,fan, which is accomplished by arrequired effectiveness. to carry materialthrough the trou l1 tothe dischar e fan. Although I have s own and describe( a speciiic manner by which I may mount and drive said fan 15, I desire to be understood as not limiting myself to such arrangement, as obviously Inlay locate the counter-shaft 22 at any convenient point, or dis ense with such arran Jement and drive the b ast fan independent y from the discharge fan by suitable connection with a rotary element associated with the separating machine and on the same side as said fan 15, as indicated in Fig. 7, where the tacker structure, 26, is shown as attached Silo a separator, 2 7, provided at its lower side opposite the tailings elevator with a pulley, 2S, driven from the cleaning fan, and which pulley is mounted on a shaft, 29, extending across the separator 'for driving the tailings elevator, and on which shaft I provide a pulley, as 29', which is belted to the pulley of fan 15 and by which said fan is driven; or Where conditions may demand or it becomes preferable I may mount both fans `on a singlel shaft running through the material chamber and drive the .same from one side of the separating machine.

I also employ a suitable blast controller or regulator for the blast fan 15 and for which purpose I rovide over'the inner or outlet side of saidp fan an adjustable covering, such as the sliding door 30, mounted in guides 31, which, according to the proportion of the fan covered thereby, compresses the blast into greater or less density, so that in discharging dry the normal blast is sullicient to drive the same, the door may be opened to its fullest extent, and Where such material is wet, slugf gish, or heavy and slimy as rice straw, and a more powerful blast is necessary to convey it through the trough, I am enabled to `increase the force of such blast to the extent required by diminishing the outlet of said fanto the size desired b f adjusting said door accordingly; but it will be understood, of course, t iat such blast controller need not necessarily be adjustable, as where it is desired to permanently arrange the fan outlet to produce a blast of a specific and unvarying force any suitable means for the purpose may be provided.

I am aware that blast producing devices for a similar .purpose have been roposed, but so far as I am informed such b asts have and light material, where been produced at a point other than directly opposite the discharge fan and conveed t creto through conduits or otherwise, ut

Furthermora the stacker or discharge fan vduced to produce the minimum centrifugal action required to eject its load, wlthout 1 believe myself to be the 'first to devise means in a pneumatic stacker `directly op posite its discharge fan for producing a positive and `variable blast draft in the manner and o )erating described, and l. have successfully demonstrated that a blast fan such l as described, when arranged directly op positenhe dischargefan ingress, creates a i owerfful air current in the material chainH er, which, coinbinine with the limited suc tion air current created bythe discharge fan, produces a positive and continuous draft through the.V entire chamber of such area, velocity and eifectiveness as to instantly convey all falling material into the discliarge fan; and the accomplishment of such result in the manner described is of great advantage. and importance, as the proper directing Land delivery into the discharge fan of such materiai as straw, which is in ever varying condition, at times being dry and fluffy, damp or wet, and falling in straggling and uneven masses or bunches, is very `dil'licult and by some methods uncertain,l and this is particularly so with reference to rice straw, which, when thresbed, is in wetendslimy condition, and adheres to and clogs the straw chamber, requiring an attendant to manually agitate and loosen such material to keep it moving into the discharge fan.

as now commonly em loyed must be driven at an exceedingly hig s eed in order to accomplish its double Worf; of creating a suction current capable of withdrawing material from the chamber, and discharging such material through the stacker pipe. By my improved arrangement, however-'T the discharge fan is relieved of lmuch of its burden, as the speed thereof may now be rereference to great rapidity for creating a. maximum intake or suction air current, for the reason that when an adequate centrifugal force is attained there is at the same time present at the fan ingress an intake current sufficient` to coperate with the blast from the opposite fan to establish a continuous draft through the material chamber to properly convey and direct the material into the discharge fan; and this reduction of speed and consequent saving of power is of great moment in such a machine as a thrcsher, with its multiplicity of rotary and reciprocatory elements and many special attachments, which heavily tax its prime motor, and where economy of power in any direction is to the betterment of the whole outfit.

I claim as my invention:

`1. The combination, in a pneumatic stacker, of a materiabdischarging fan at one side thereof, an unobstructed material-re ceiving receptacle forming a free and unir terrupted passageway for air and material l conveying materia and communicating at one end with said fan, and a fan at the opposite end of said recep tacle for cri-ating and discharging an air blast through saidl roce )taclc for pncuinatically i therethrough and to said discharge fan..

' 2. The combination, in a pneumatic stacker, of a material-discliarging fan at one side thereof, a substantially concave horizontally arranged material receiving trough forming a free and unobstructed passageway for air and material and communicating at one end with said fan, and a fan at the op osite end of said trough 'for creating and ischarging an air blast through sald trough for pneumatically conveying material therethrough and to said discharge fan.

3. T he combination, in a pneumatic stacker, of a material-discharging fa n at one side thereof, a 1naterial-receiving) rece tacle commruiicating with said fan, a last an at the opposite side of said receptacle, and means associated with said blast fan for regulating the air current-produced thereby.

4. The combination, in a pneumatic stacker, of a matcriail-discharging l'an at one side thereof, a niaterial-receiving rece tacle communicating at one end with said an, a blast fan at the opposite end thereof, and an adjustable door for diminishing or increasing the force of the air blast from said blast fan. 5. The' combination, in a pneumatic stacker, of a material-discharging fan at one side thereof, a material-receiving receptacle communicating at one end with said fan, and a blast fan at the opposite end of said rece tacle arranged to receive its air supp y through the Wall thereof directly from the exterior and to produce a blast draft in and through said receptacle.

6. The combination, in a neumatic stacker, of a material-receiving ciamber, a material-discharwing fan at one side thereof, a driving shaftfor said fan, a fan at the opposite side of said chamber, and mounted independently of said discharge fan, and means 'for driving said last mentioned fan from the shaft of said discharge fan.

7. The combination, in a )neumatic stacker, of a matcrial-rcceiving chamber, a material discharging fan at one side thereof, a shaft for said fan, a fan at the opposite side of said chamber, a shaft. for the latter' fan, a countershal't, means connecting said countershaft with said discharge fan, and means connecting said counlershaft with said oppo sitely arranged fan whereby both f said fans are driven from a single source.

8. The combination, in a stacker, of a malterial-recciving chamber, a fan mounted on each sidi` thereof and independently of the other, and means for operating cach of said fans independently of the other.

El. ln :i pneumatic stacker, the combinapneumatic Y housing, a material dischar side thereof, a blastfan in t 1e opposite side tixgof annaterial-receiving chamber, an incased" burden fan at one side thereof, and a fan at the o positie side of said chamber' arran ed to diiavv wal thereof directly from t e exterior and to create a blast draft through said chamber toward said burden fan for conveying material across- 4said chamber into said fan. l

HL A l pneumatic stacker comprising a ing ian at one oisaid housing the radiating varies whereof are disposed to face said discharging fan,

means for rotating said' discharging fan, and

means for rotating said blast fan independently of said discharging fan.

I 11. A pneumatic stacker comprising a housing, a material-dischargin ian at one side of said housing, a receptac c positioned transversely of said housing and communieating with said fan, a blast fan in Vsaid housing opposite said discharging fan, and a protecting 'guard for said blast fan.

12. A pneumatic stacker com rising a materiabreceiving chamber, a disc iargc` fan at one side of and communicating with said chamber and producing a suction air current therein, anda blast fan in the opposite side of saidmchamber arranged to produce a osinative/air blast in a direction parallel wit i its shaft through said chamber and into said its air sulpply through the r discharge ian whereby material within said chamber is conveyed entirely pneumatically therefrom into said. discharge fan.

13. A pneumatic stacker comprising a ina= terial receiving chamber, a substantially horizontally -arranged interiorly 'unobe i structed trough therein, a discharge ian in one side of said chamber, and a fan associated with the opposite side of said chamber i for creating a blast and discharging the same throughout the entire length and breadthof said tro ugh for pneumatically conveying material therefrom into said discharge fan.

14. The combination, with a separating machine, oil' a pneumatic stacker at the rear end thereof embodying a material-receiving chamber, a substantially horizontally-arranged trough in said chamber, a discharge fan at one side of said separating machine, and an independently mounted fan located in the opposite side of said machine and ar'- ranged` to convey a blast of air throughout the entire length and breadth of said trou h forA conveying material prieumatically in lo i said discharge fan. A 'In testimony whereof I aflx my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

' JOSEPH- K. SHARPE, JR. W'itnesses:

" C. E. SLoAN,

i Homin R. Banaan. 

